Daughter of Ruthie Wollard and Joseph Hunt. She passed away in Beaufort, South Carolina in 2026 — a place she had loved most of her life and made her home in her later years.
- Sons: John Philip Snipes Jr. and Shane Snipes
- Grandson: Sam Snipes
- Daughter-in-law: Angela Snipes
- Brother: Clifton Hunt
- Extended family and friends who loved her dearly
- Husband: John Philip Snipes Sr.
- Parents: Ruthie and Joseph Hunt
- Sisters: Louise and Phyllis
Patsy made the world better in the simplest ways. She had a generous spirit after having cancer then volunteering to help others, a steady heart listening through al-anon groups, and a natural gift for making people feel seen, appreciated, and loved.
Even in her final years, as Alzheimer's changed many parts of her life, her kindness remained. When short-term memory became difficult, warmth still came easily. She offered compliments to family, friends, caregivers, and complete strangers — because that was simply who she was.
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Some people leave behind great speeches. Patsy left behind something better — a handful of small sayings that became her family's language of love. You heard them often enough that they became part of you, and now you hear them in your own voice when you least expect it.
These weren't just phrases. They were her. They were the sound of her love, her humor, and her way of holding people close.
Before she was a mother, Patsy had a season of life that was all her own — a time of dancing, going out, enjoying music, and living with a joyful independence that never fully left her.
She loved soul music, the Carolina shag, the cha-cha, and the jerk. She moved through life the way she moved on a dance floor: with ease, with rhythm, and with a smile that made everyone around her feel the music too.
That dancing spirit stayed with her all her life. She danced with John. She moved down the hall of the nursing home. She shared little dances with Shane in her later years — a shimmy here, a two-step there — because some things live deeper than memory.
From Shane: she was also a dance partner in these last years. Now his dance partner is dancing above him, free from pain.
"Bring me some Hershey Kisses" was how many a phone call ended — a request her family was always happy to honor. She was not shy about it. "I'm not an alcoholic, but I'm a chocoholic!"
She loved tending day lilies and other bulbs that sprouted in pots around her house — patience, beauty, resilience, and the simple joy of helping something grow.
She loved a good mystery — the kind that kept you turning pages. She brought the same curiosity and attention to stories that she brought to people.
She didn't need grand gestures. She needed good soil, a little sun, and something worth tending. Piddlin' around the yard was its own kind of joy.
Patsy had her own mind, her own timing, and her own way of moving through the world. She was not a woman anyone could rush into something she did not want to do — as anyone who knew her could tell you.
In many ways, she was women's lib before liberation was a thang — independent, spirited, and quietly strong long before the world had better language for women who knew themselves.
She loved Tweety Bird, and that little bird's attitude suited her perfectly. She was ready with a little spunkiness when the moment called for it.
with a side of dancing
with a backbone
with just enough jig
In retirement, Patsy made her home in Beaufort, South Carolina, where she was near her brother and sister and enjoyed family, neighbors, making jam with her sister, flowers in the yard, and the openness of the Unitarian community.
She went on road trips to festivals and welcomed visits from friends from North Carolina, finding peace in the familiarity of a place she had visited most of her life.
Her simple home was 100% her — organized and homey. She made room for people, for dogs like the puppy Bailey, for down-home meals, and for sincere conversations.
It was a place where you always felt welcome, and where you always left feeling a little more loved than when you arrived.
A few of her favorite things in the last few years of life.
She gave her sons room to become themselves and loved them every step of the way. She encouraged, supported, welcomed, and believed in the people she loved — not with conditions, not with pressure, but with a steady, open-hearted presence that made you feel like you could do anything.
She never made love complicated. She showed how to love simply, laugh often, and stay open-hearted through everything.
Not in things, but in the way her sons move through the world — in their words, their warmth, and the way they make others feel seen.
People may say that Patsy leaves a big void. But the space she held has not simply become empty. It has transformed into another kind of presence.
Her love is still moving through the people she loved — through their words, choices, kindness, grief, gratitude, and memory.
The chair may be empty, and the voice may be gone, but the love did not disappear. It became atmosphere. It became memory. It became a way of seeing.
The missing piece is not missing in the way we thought it would be. It is full in a different way.
Sunday, August 2, 2026
3:00 PM
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Beaufort
Sam's Point Road · Beaufort, South Carolina
Laugh, cry, eat, and maybe even dance a little. Bring a memory, story, song, photo, dish, or recipe to share.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Patsy's memory to the South Carolina Alzheimer's Association through her memorial page:
If Patsy made you smile, complimented you, danced with you, shared a meal with you, or made you feel loved — we would be grateful to hear your memory.
A moment she made you feel seen, loved, or like you could do anything.
A snapshot from any chapter of her life — the more the merrier.
Something she made, something she loved, something that reminds you of her.
Every one of them matters. Every one of them keeps her alive in the world a little longer.
See you later, alligator. After a while, crocodile.
Patsy Jean Hunt Snipes 1943-2026
Born in Garner, North Carolina → Continued from Beaufort, South Carolina
See you later alligator…
A life of laughter, chocolate, flowers, and simple kindness.